Dutch cableco Ziggo is set to acquire local corporate-focussed telco Esprit Telecom from Detron ICT & Telecom Group to help it expand in the business market.
Amsterdam-listed Ziggo said the acquisition, which also includes ICT service provider Zoranet,…
Dutch cableco Ziggo is set to acquire local corporate-focussed telco Esprit Telecom from Detron ICT & Telecom Group to help it expand in the business market.
Amsterdam-listed Ziggo said the acquisition, which also includes ICT service provider Zoranet, is valued at €18m. Esprit Telecom, which Ziggo described as a leading provider of voice and data services for the SME market in the Netherlands, generated revenues of €37m in 2012.
Ziggo b2b managing director, Hendrik de Groot, said the deal will help the company cater for growing demand from the SME market, noting that its small business customer base has increased by more than 30,000 over the past two years.
“The acquisition of Esprit Telecom, which has a loyal customer base and operates nationwide, will enable us to accelerate our services provision to the SME market.”
De Groot said Ziggo and Esprit, which will continue to operate independently under thier own names, will invest in new cloud-based business services.
“We also see interesting synergy opportunities, including upgrade to our next generation broadband network, enabling SMEs to be securely connected to the cloud.”
Earlier this month, Ziggo announced DT CEO Rene Obermann would head the company from next year.
In March last year, Ziggo became the first European cableco to list on a stock exchange since 2010, raising €925m (US$1.2bn).
Based in Utrecht, Ziggo services about 2.9 million households, including more than 2.2 million TV customers, 1.5 million telephony subscribers and almost 1.8 million internet customers.
